Necktie finisher



Nmcx'r: FINISHER Filed May 19. 1950 FIG.5.

' 11111101111 5 will INVENTOR www Hummm@ WMNRJN ATToRNYg Patented Aug. 4, 1953 7 OFFICE 2,647,664 NECKTIE FINISHER Clifford C. Palmatier and Fredrick L.

Wehren,

Bozeman, Mont.

Application May 19,

195o, serial No. 162,924

7 Claims. (Cl. 23-82) This invention relates to a necktie nisher.

Numerous efforts have been made to provide devices for pressing or finishing neckties, particularly in cleaning and pressing establishments. These devices largely have failed to accomplish their desired functions for one or more of several reasons. For example, many of such devices are relatively expensive to build, but most of them fail for the reason that they are inoperative for providing a satisfactorily nished necktie. The reason for this usually is because of the fact that devices of this character usually are steam operated, and wet steam is supplied to the necktie for the nishing operation, which results in the spotting or streaking of the tie. Most of these devices likewise fail for the reason that they An important object of the present invention is to provide a simple and novel type of necktie iinisher, wherein is no streaking or spotting of the tie.

A further object is to provide a device of this character.. employing a novel` type of necktie conduit any minor amount of `condensation which may collect in such line.

A further object is to provide novel steam supply means of such character that substantially nothing but dry steam is allowed to reach vthe dry steam conduit.

- A further object is lto provide a novel type of Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent during the course of the following description. i

In the drawing, we have shown one embodiment of the invention. In this showing, Figure l is a perspective view of the apparatus, parts being broken away, I

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional View through the former taken substantially on line 2 2 vof Figure l, and

Figure 3 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view on line 353 of Figure l.

Referring to `Figure l, the numeral il! desig-f nates a structural vsurface which may be a table or counter top, or the top of a cabinet in which may be housed the steam supply means described below. Beneath the top l0 is arranged the means for supplying steam to the necktie former to be described. The steam supply means comprises a vertical tank Il intermediate the ends of which is connected a steam supply pipe l2 leading to any suitable source of steam, such of the tank, for example, near the tank as shown in Figure l. The bottom of the tank is provided with a condensation drain pipe i6 in which is arranged a manually controllable valve Il.

Above the top I!) is arranged a necktie former indicated as a whole by the numeral 20. This vformer has a somewhat curved forward wall 2| and to decrease in size upwardly approximating the taper of the ends of a necktie. The pipel5 leads to the interior of the former 2li to discharge steam into the space 24 therein. Since the interior of the former is subgected to substantial steam pressure, the forward and -rear walls are connected by stays 25, preferably welded in position to serve as braces between the forward and rear walls 2i and 22. The former is preferably covered by a light porous fabric 28 such as cotton drilling or the like.

A live steam conduit 35 extends vertically through the former. This conduit is substantially semi-circular in cross section as shown in Figure 2 with the edges thereof welded to the front wall 2i of the former and with the back of the member 3E! spaced from the back wall 22 so that the space 2li will be continuousthroughout the width of the former to allow steam from the pipe I5 freely to reach all portions of the interior of the former except the space 3i within the conduit 35.

The conduit 35 is arranged centrally of the width of the former and the front wall 2I is provided with spaced discharge openings 32 for the escape of the steam from the space 'di through the fabric coveringifi, if the latter is employed, and then through a necktie arranged on the former. Particular attention is invited to the fact that none of the steam in the space 25 is ever discharged throughr the former, but merely acts to maintain in highly heated condition the steam Within the space 3 i.

Steam is supplied to the conduit from pipe I4 in the manner shown in detail in Figure 3. This pipe is threaded into the bottom wall of the former and within the upper end of the pipe I4 and preferably welded in position is a bushing 35 having an axial steam passage 36 therethrough. The lower end of the bushing 35 is preferably hemisphericalas at 3l for a purpose to be described. At a convenient pipe I4 is provided with a novel cut-off valve 40 of the conventional spring-closing type. inasmuch as any number of types of such valves are commercially available, the valve lli) need not be shown in detail. This valve is operable by pending stem 4I which may be suitably guided by any desired means (not shown) and is provided at its lower end with an operating treadle 42.

lvfeans are provided for clamping a necktie in position on the former tion during the finishing operation without the use of the hands. Such means comprise a relatively rigid clamping plate generally corresponding in shape to the back wall 22 and formed fiat to engage thereagainst. At clamping plate is provided with inturned flanges 4B adapted to lie along the edges of the former, these edges being slightly rounded as at 4l (Figure 2). The clamping plate 45 is fixed to the upper end of a spring leaf 43, the lower end of which is welded or otherwise fixed to a lever 59, pivotally supported at its lower end as at 5G on the top I5. The lever operates adjacent a toothed quadrant 5I fixed to the top IG, and a detent 52 is engageable with the teeth 53 of the quadrant. The detent 52 is urged upwardly by any suitable means and is moved downwardly to disengage it from the quadrant teeth by depressing a button 54. Since the quadrant and detent means per se are old and well known in the art, it is believed that they need not be illustrated in detail.

Operation When it is desired to finish a necktie on the apparatus, the end of the necktie is slipped downwardly over the former until it nts snugly thereon. The operator then moves the lever 49 forwardly to engage the plate 45 against the back of the former, the plate 45 being point therein, the i a deto hold it in a fixed posiits edges, the

held in position under the tension of the spring 48 and the lever being locked in position by the detent 52 engaging one of the teeth 53. Assuming that the valve I3 is opened, steam will be maintained in the tank II and will flow through the pipe I5 into the former space 24 to maintain the former in a heated condition. The operator will now depress the treadle 42 to open the valve 4B and admit steam from tank II through pipe I4 into the conduit space 3|, steam flowing from this space through openings 32, thence through the fabric cover 28, if this is employed, and thence through the necktie. It has been found that only a single central line of openings 32 need be employed to supply sufcient steam to the necktie to effect an excellent finishing operation thereon. After the finishing operation has been completed, the operator will press the button 54 to release the detent mechanism and permit the clamping plate 45 to move back to inoperative position, for example, as shown in Figure l. The finished tie then may be slipped from the upper end of the former.

The apparatus embodies several features which combine to provide a highly efcient necktie firiishing operation. The steam is supplied to the tank I I and wet steam and condensation tend by gravity to move toward the bottom of the tank, thus leaving drier steam near the top of the tank. t is this dry steam which is supplied to the conduit 30 through the pipe I4, and any condensation on the sides of the pipe I4 will be trapped at the bushing 35. The flow of steam through the axial passage 35 does not tend to carry with it any condensation since the latter collects around the outside of the hemispherical face 31. Thus the device tends to provide solely dry steam for the finishing operation.

The operation of the apparatus is not affected in any way if wet steam is supplied through pipe i5 to the space 24. This steam does not come in contact with the necktie but merely serves to maintain the conduit highly heated to eliminate or very substantially minimize any condensation within the dry steam conduit. Thus the heating of the space 24 and conduit 30 functions to prevent the supplying of any but dry steam to the necktie. It has beeen found that .an excellent finishing operation on the necktie may be provided vvith dry steam, whereas moist steam or condensation tend to streak or spot the tie, this being particularly noticeable on neckties having bright colors therein. The present device accordingly is highly efficient as a necktie finisher.

It has been found that iieckties tend to creep from formers of this type, thus making it necessary ordinarily to hold the tie on the former by the hands of the operator. By clamping the plate 45 against the fiat rear face of the former under spring tension, the necktie during the finishing operation is fixedly held in position against creeping and it is not necessary for the operator to touch the necktie during such time, thus eliminating a cause of the spotting of neckties being finished. The clamping plate is instantly moved to operative position and holds itself in position without attention by the operator, and is instantly released by pressing the button 54.

Obviously the space 24 is maintained during normal operation under static steam pressure, and accordingly condensation within the space 24 flows downwardly through pipe I5 back into the bottom of the tank II. Some condensation in time will form in the pipe I4, but this condenwith his hands or fingers sation is very slight in quantity. From time to time, the operator may close the valve I3, open the valve I1 and hold the treadle 42 depressed. 'I'his will drain condensation from the tank l l and also will permit any condensation which may have occurred in the pipe i4 to flow back into the tank Il to be discharged through pipe I6. After the pipes and the tank ll have been drained, it merely is necessary to close the valve I 'l and open the valve i3, whereupon the apparatus is again ready for use.

In practice, it has been found that the present device provides a cleaned and finished necktie with a new tie appearance. The rounded edges 41 leave the edges of the neck-tie slightly rounded as in the case of a new tie, and the functioning of the device is such that the colors of the tie will appear clean and fresh with a complete absence of any spots or streaks. i

We claim:

1. A necktie nishing device comprising a hollow elongated former over which one end of a necktie is adapted to be placed, an elongated conduit in said former closed to the interior thereof, means for supplying steam to said conduit, one wall of said former having apertures therein communicating solely with said conduit for the escape of steam from said conduit through the necktie, and means for heating the interior of said former for minimizing the condensation of steam in said conduit.

2. A necktie finishing device comprising a hollow elongated former over which one end of a necktie is adapted to be placed, an elongated conduit in said former closed to the interior thereof, means for supplying steam to said conduit, one wall of said former having apertures therein communicating solely with said conduit for the yescape of steam from said conduit through the necktie, and means for supplying steam to the interior of said former to heat said conduit and minimize the condensation of steam therein.

3. A necktie finishing device comprising a hollow elongated former over which one end of a necktie is adapted to be placed, an elongated conduit in said former, a steam pipe for supplying steam to said conduit, said former having walls one of which has perforations communicating with said conduit for the escape of steam therefrom, a bushing in said steam pipe having a reduced axial passage therethrough for the How of steam, the end of said bushing remote from said conduit being hemispherical to provide for the trapping of condensation around such end of said bushing, and means for heating the interior of said former to heat said conduit and minimize the condensation of the steam therein.

4. A necktie finishing device comprising a hollow elongated former over which one end of a necktie is adapted to be placed, an elongated conduit in said former, a steam pipe for supplying steam to said conduit, said former having walls one of which has perforations communicating with said conduit for the escape of steam therefrom and said wall being otherwise imperforate, a bushing in said steam pipe having a reduced axial passage therethrough for the flow of steam, the end of said bushing remote from said conduit being hemispherical to provide for the trapping of condensation around such end of said bushing, and means for supplying steam to the interior of said former around said conduit to heat the latter and minimize the condensation of steam therein.

5. A necktie finishing device comprising a hollow elongated former over which one end of a necktie is adapted to be placed, an elongated conduit in said former, one wall of said former being provided with apertures therethrough communicating at their inner ends solely with said conduit, a steam tank, means for supplying steam to said tank, a steam pipe connected between said conduit and the top of said tank to supply relatively dry steam from said tank to said conduit for discharge through said apertures, said steam pipe having a vertical portion, and a bushing therein having a reduced axial passage therethrough and provided with a substantially hemispherical lower end.

6. A necktie finishing device comprising a hollow elongated `former over which one end of a necktie is adapted to be placed, an elongated conduit in said former, one wall of said former being provided with apertures therethrough communicating at their inner ends solely with said conduit, a steam tank, means for supplying steam to said tank, a steam pipe connected between said conduit and the top of said tank to supply relatively dry steam from said tank to said conduit for discharge through said apertures, said steam pipe having a vertical portion, a bushing therein having a reduced axial passage therethrough and provided with a substantially hemispherical lower end, and a pipe connected between the interior of said former and said steam tank at a point spaced from the top of the latter to supply steam to the interior of said former to heat said former and said conduit to minimize condensation of steam in said conduit.

7. A necktie iinishing device comprising a hollow elongated former, said former having walls one of which is provided with a plurality of longitudinally spaced perforations, a member of open section arranged in said former and having its edge portions xed in sealed relation to said one Wall on opposite sides of said perforations to form therewith a steam conduit communicating with said perforations but closed off from the interior of said former, said walls outwardly of said conduit being imperforate, means for admitting steam to said conduit for escape through said perforations, and means for admitting steam to the interior of said former around said conduit to heat the latter and minimize the condensation of steam therein.

CLIFFORD C. PALMA'IIER. FREDRICK L. WEHREN.

References Cited in the file of this patent 

